Coniston Guided Walk

Today I took the opportunity of joining up with a guided tour around Coniston Old Man, learning about some of the history of the slate mining in the area.  Our guide was Alastair Cameron, who was very knowledgeable on the subject.

I was the first person to get to the car park at Walna Scar Road and I was unsure if I was in the right place.  A quick check of Google Maps showed a whole bunch of cars here on the day they took the satelite image so I chilled out and waited for the others. 

We set off up the Old Man Road, Alastair pointing out some bronze age sites and other areas of interest.  We were soon into the old mine area.

old smithy

An old smithy powered by water from Low Water. You can see the paddles here.  There is a water pipe, still largely in place all the way down from Low Water which then goes back out of the smithy and down into the beck.

Being with the National Trust Upland Rangers and a group of Fix the Fells people, a thorough inspection of the paths, walls and drainage was undertaken.  The verdict on this wall, as well as the drainage ditch at the side was not particularly good.

the sawmill

  

More inspections.  This time I think it was an old mine shaft and a consideration of whether or not to dig it out.

mine shafts everywhere

part of the aerial runway, recently fallen

end of the line?

We left Alaister at the top level (we didn't leave him, he went back down) and a few of us carried on up to the summit of Consiton Old Man, along to Brim Fell and on to Swirl How before descending down Prison Band, turning right to Levers Water and back to the car park.

Low Water from the climb to the summit

top of Coniston Old Man

this would be a great fell run

Brim Fell summit, cloud coming in a bit now

down at Levers Water

the route, look at that nice ridge from Coniston Old Man